Life, it moves on, and it must move on. "Charaiweti, charaiweti", 'keep going on', as the Aitareya Upnishad insists, is the fulcrum of life. To prove this point, let us just look at the phenomenon of water which is everywhere. Why, our body requires it so centrally that we can go on without food for a fortnight, but not even a couple of days without water.
Our terra firma has less land mass, and more water bodies. If stagnant, these would rot and get slimy and sick, like the dead sea in Coleridge's great poem, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner ". Water that flows is water that is healthy and clean.
Why all these bits and pieces of information? Is that your question? Well, just look around. Have you noticed that the winter solstice is almost over? We are fast progressing towards the summer. The days are getting longer, and, oh, yes, hotter!
Well, Tuesday happens to be Rathsaptami. It marks this change. Aai used to draw the chariot of Lord Sun, oh, yes, properly with the outline of horses; make a small bonfire wherein she would allow rice cooked in ghee and milk in a small pot to overflow. What a lovely celebration of the diurnal cycle! Well, following her footsteps, I would sure make Tilgul; but I love the idea of her "akshaypatra" which is a subtle care-n-concern for the ants, and other such insects, who would now start working hard, and presciently in advance for the winter to follow. Life goes on!
Well, apparently it is the Narmada Parikrama day. This pilgrimage by the banks of the great Narmada, from her origin, the source, till she meets the sea, which is the new beginning of her journey thence, a life altering experience for the pilgrims, is an assertion of the Aitareya axiom quoted blog initially.
In a way, such spiritual practices are rooted in the agri-rural way of life which is the core even in today's dizzyingly urbanizing and services-oriented realities! Well, life goes on, it must go on, we must walk along, and help direct it the right way!
Pratima@ Tomorrow it is the world Surya Namaskar Day, too, it seems. Yet again a reminder that Nature moves, and so must we, too, and make life better alongside.
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